A veteran coach in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League is joining the ranks of the Rayside Balfour Canadians.
The team announced Dave Clancy is taking up the position of associate coach. He will be joined by Head Coach Vegelli Sakellaris behind the bench this season, as well as Assistant Coach and Goalie Coach Eric Nararro. Bobby Chaumont returns as skills coach with the Canadians this season.
Clancy, 58, brings more than 20 years of coaching experience, including stints with U15 NOHA teams, NOJHL teams and Laurentian University Men’s Hockey teams, said the Canadians in a news release.
The Sudbury native served as assistant coach of the Sudbury Jr. Wolves when the franchise won the NOJHL championship in 2006. Clancy won a NOJHL championship as the head coach of the Burgess-owned Sudbury Jr. Wolves in 2008.
Clancy served as an assistant coach for the Laurentian University men’s hockey team from 2013 to 2016.
Most recently, Clancy was named NOJHL coach-of-the-year in 2019 when he led the Espanola Express to their best regular season record in franchise history. Clancy also served as head coach and GM of the Rayside Balfour Jr. A Canadians from 2016 to 2018.
“It doesn’t happen very often when a team has the ability to add an accomplished and decorated coach with Dave’s resume,” said Canadians GM Jeff Forsyth. “We feel that we have put an exclamation mark on our coaching staff for the 2021-2022 season. Vagelli and Dave have worked together in the past, and are very familiar with each other’s coaching styles, which will serve our players with a first-class experience.”
Clancy said he’s excited to join the Canadians and have the opportunity to work with a group of people that is dedicated to bringing a championship to the community.
“After seeing what the players went through last season, I’m looking forward to returning to a new normal that will allow the players to play the game that they love,” said Clancy. “I also look forward to working with our players on their development as junior hockey players.”
“Dave is a very knowledgeable coach who brings a lot of experience from both the NOJHL and university hockey ranks,” said Sakellaris. “Dave is technically sound in the modern game and he will be an extremely valuable asset to our program this season.”
Clancy will make his coaching debut when the Canadians host the Espanola Express on Thursday, Sept. 16 at the Chelmsford Arena. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
